As systems such as aircraft both commercial and military have evolved, their technical complexity has advanced exponentially. In concert with such technical advancement the logistics associated with their maintenance, upgrading and repair has required the development of extensive information which traditionally has been generated in the form of paper carried printed text and drawings. The bulk of that paper text, sometimes referred to as “technical orders” (TO) can be substantial, paper technical orders for a complex military aircraft typically requiring palletizing for its transport. As a consequence of this information growth, industry and government have or are in the process of converting this extensive paper carried information into an electronic data collection manifested in technician carried laptop computers, personal data assistance (PDAs) and the like.
Accordingly, logistic concerns now have turned to the management of an extensive number of these portable electronic data devices. For instance, each one of a modern military fighter aircraft typically will require about three laptop computers with associated battery chargers and local area network (LAN) coupling capabilities for receiving TO upgrades and downloading maintenance data. Such logistical support components will be co-deployed with an extra base deployment of their corresponding aircraft. Often at a given base to which the aircraft are assigned, a collection of many laptop computers will be observed on the tops of tables connected with battery chargers, connected in turn to a. c. strip outlets, LANs and the like, a logistic management approach deemed less than desirable. Deployment of this equipment, for instance, to foreign bases requires some form of containment for shipping. Fiberglass transit cases capable of being lifted by two to four men have been available for this purposes. Suggestion has been made to retrofit these hard tooled cases with metal shelving for carrying the equipment. The result of such retrofitting is an excessive case weight and a support approach exhibiting little system design flexibility. Shelf containing steel cases for carrying equipment have been marketed. However, such containment also exhibits excessive weight.